• Administration of methohexital produces modest decreases in systemic blood pressure that are transient due to compensatory increase in heart rate. This decrease in systemic blood pressure is principally due to peripheral vasodilatation. The resulting dilation of peripheral capacitance vessels leads to pooling of blood, decreased venous return and the potential for decreases in cardiac output and systemic blood pressure.
  • Methohexital can cause seizure activity; and therefore is contraindicated in patients with temporal lobe seizures.